"You guys are... No, no, this... this is very dangerous," I argue, turning to their mates, hoping they would stop them.
The two brothers exchange a quiet look.
“...We would do the same if we could,” mutters Nathaniel.
I can't help but roll my eyes. Now this does sound insane! This is too much! I am grateful they want to help, but what if I seriously end up taking too many years off of them? It's not an exact science, we're talking about necromancy! It's dangerous and damn unpredictable! I could end up splitting their lifespan in half instead of just taking a couple of years!
Nora smiles, a bit bitter, and takes my other hand gently.
"Mara, please. You're not alone, remember? You and Liam are our family. I.... We are so grateful you're willing to give away some of your life for him, so please... let us do this for you. Just a bit, alright? You deserve this, Mara. You deserve as much time as you can get with Liam... I understand we won't know exactly how much time you guys have left, and anything could happen before that, but... at least, let us do our share. Let us help you a little, Mara. Please."
Shit, I feel like crying again... I can hardly believe this. Liam, can you imagine? They are all willing to give some of their lives for you... for us. I hold her hand a bit tighter. I feel her... I feel Nora and her wolf; here with me. I feel all of them and how close we are, like a family indeed. I take another deep breath, but it's hopeless, I burst into tears again. I can't, I'm just... Moon Goddess, it's been a hell of a day. Nora smiles and hugs me gently.
"...It's alright, Mara. Everything will be alright."
Just as she says that, something in my heart does feel relieved. I feel as if everything will be okay again. Just... I feel as if her words were a key. Something that soothes me, and gives me confidence. A bright, vivid, and warm flame shining in my heart. Yes, we will be alright.
Even if it's just a few years, one or two decades together. Liam and I are going to live young, die young, and be fucking happy in the meantime. We're going to be together, and that's all we need. Perhaps this was meant for us all along, and it feels perfect in a way. We're going to have to enjoy each day twice as much, live enough for the lifetime we should have had together. Life doesn't always play out the way we want it to, but... this is one hell of a second chance, and we can't waste a second of it. I want me and him to be happy every damn minute we are together. Live as if we were going to die tomorrow, or next week, or next year. I chuckle, feeling a bit silly and strange. Yeah, this is just like us. Restless, reckless, impatient wolves.
"...Alright," I mutter, trying to focus. "Get ready, then."
I take a deep breath and Selena comes to sit on my right side, putting her hand on my shoulder. Nora is still holding my hand, so now I can focus completely on Liam. I take one last look at him and close my eyes.
I keep the new flame in my heart close, and I summon my Earth and Water Magic at once. I feel Liam's body, where I need to intervene, what I need to do to bring him back. Humans are made of matter, and now I understand why a witch needs all three powers. The earth is for the body, the muscles, the skin, and water is for the blood, everything inside that flows and moves. I focus it on Liam, finding that horrendous gap, both in his body and in his soul. I feel the magic circle appearing beneath us, but I keep going, I know how it has to play out. The spell comes to me so easily, as if it had always been stored in my mind. The Earth Magic fixes the tissues, the Water Magic gets everything running and moving again. I work silently to focus my magic on healing his body. It's a long and draining process, but it's only the first and easiest part.
Now, this is where I bring his life back. I take another deep breath and, his body restored, I need to breathe life back in. I focus on my inner flame, and grow it, bigger, brighter, hotter. A fierce fire burning inside, channeling my own life energy. I feel it... it beats just like my heart. Gently, I convey it to Liam, placing it in his body. His wolf takes the energy, but the magic doesn't stay, and I have to continuously send some, return it to me, and send more again. It's difficult and really draining as I feel my flame diminish. I can almost feel... my body getting tired. It's not decaying, but I feel how it's getting tired inside, how I'm using several years' worth of energy. Like running several marathons in seconds, or crossing two oceans without breathing. I have to keep focusing, or I'll give too much, and pass out and die. We don't want that, right, babe? I take another deep breath and, just when I feel my fire about to give out, I stop, and gently pull some of Selena and Nora's. It is easy to find, I feel their hearts like little birds within my reach. I want to be careful, I just pick a little from them, and that's it. Maybe... Maybe not enough, but that's plenty already. I know you wouldn't agree to this either, babe, and I am with you on that one... I get their energy inside, and take another deep breath to close the bond.
I look for him. I look for Liam, his wolf, to see where I can wake him up, how to light the flame inside him with all that energy... I found it. I gasp, and rush all in at once. That's one hell of a lot of energy, and I burst in, like a spark in the darkness, praying that fire will take and grow.
"Moon Goddess!"
I try to stay focused despite the gasps and exclamations of joy around me; I just need to finish this properly... I give it all I have left of the Water and Earth Magic to make sure his body is fully healed. I search for anything that I may have missed, reinforcing each organ, each muscle. I give it all out, without an ounce of regret. This is the first and last time I'll perform this spell, so I might as well be sure... You wouldn't have wanted me to keep it either, right, Luna?
A couple more seconds later, I finally open my eyes. I can already see it. Liam's face has restored its colors, and... he's breathing. I let out a nervous chuckle, half laughter and half a cry. His brothers are frozen like ice on the other side, but Nora is crying next to me, and Selena gasps again.
"...Babe?" I call out, holding his hand a bit tighter. "Liam!"
Liam stays unconscious, but I take a deep breath and slap his torso, a bit annoyed. I didn't freaking fix you so you could take a nap here!
He opens his eyes and sits up all at once.
"Whoa!" he exclaims, out of breath. "Wh-... What the... hell…?"
"Liam!" I cry out, jumping to hold him.
Oh, Moon Goddess, thank... thank you for letting me bring him back... I keep sobbing loudly, Nora's echoing behind me. I just can't stop the waterfall, and I keep crying, hugging my mate tight. I hear him chuckling nervously, and he holds me back.
"Okay, uh... Did I miss something? You guys are... making faces... Mara, babe, you're killing me here..."
I chuckle, and pull back a bit to give him some space, and look at his face. It's really him. My Liam, with his blue-gray eyes I love, his confused expression, his warm skin, and half-smiling lips. Moon Goddess, I can hardly believe it really worked. He is back. My mate is back with me, for real.
He keeps staring at me and sending glances to his brothers and sister-in-laws, completely confused, with no idea what just happened.
"Wha-... Seriously, you guys are making such weird faces... Mara, you okay? And Nora... Guys, seriously, what did I miss?"
Nathaniel suddenly shakes his head and walks away, his shoulders low. I'm a bit worried for him, but Selena exchanges a smile with me, and goes to hug him a bit farther away, hiding his face onto her shoulder. Next to us, Damian Black chuckles too.
“Welcome back, Liam.”
